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Monday, 22 April 2013

EDITOR FINE ‘MEANT TO SILENCE PEOPLE’

The Times of
Swaziland, the kingdom’s only independent daily newspaper, says the High
Court’s decision to fine (and probably send to jail) Bheki Makhubu, the editor
of the Nation magazine, is an attempt
to stop people voicing concerns about problems in the kingdom.

In an editorial comment, the Times said, ‘[T]he decision to
fine the editor of the Nation
magazine E400 000 (or be jailed) can only be interpreted as an attempt to put a
lid on complaints; to restrict the confidence of the Swazi people to speak up
when they see a problem so that, together, we can fix it.’

Makhubu must pay a fine of E200,000 (US$22,000) by
tomorrow (23 April 2013) and if he cannot pay he will be sent to jail for two
years. Last week, the Swazi High Court convicted him of ‘scandalising’ the
courts after he wrote two articles published in the Nation that criticised the judiciary.

The sentence has brought condemnation from across the
world where it is being widely interpreted as an assault on freedom of the
press. It has also drawn attention to the lack of human rights in Swaziland,
which is ruled by King Mswati III, sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch.

In its editorial published today, the Times said, ‘Shooting the messenger is
the best way to ensure that problems are never reported; thus remaining
unresolved.’

It added, ‘It is no secret that we are in the midst of a
judicial crisis and have been for over two years. The crux of the matter is simply the question
of whether or not the people of Swaziland trust their Judiciary to do right by
them.

‘The significance of Bheki Makhubu’s sentence is that it
is now abundantly clear that those responsible for maintaining the reputation
of the Judiciary will not entertain this question any longer.

‘Instead, they will impose their own interpretation of
the situation; that everything is fine, normal even.